Table structure



Feb. 13, 1945. c. l.. DEWEY TABLE STRUCTURE Filed May 27, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l III/272.45%@ /wwfy, Q6

Feb. 13, 1945. C, L, DEWEY 2,369,140

TABLE S TRUCTURE Patented Feb. 13, 1945 UNAITEDYSTATES PATENT OFFICE TABLE STRUCTURE I Clarence L. Dewey, Elkhart, Ind.

Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 488,645

Claims,

This invention is directed primarily to the means provided for uniting table legs of the special tubular metallic formation herein described to a table top or the like, which may be of metal, wood, or composition, in such a way as to provide a union which is sufficiently iirm and rigid to permit braces or spreaders to be dispensed with and which will at the same time permit the table and legs to be shipped or stored in disassembled or knock-down condition and be readily assembled as occasion may require. Further objects and details will appear from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereini Figure 1 is a side elevation of the table embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an underview of a corner of the table top with the leg and supporting sill shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an under sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a composite view showing the opposite faces of one of the sills and a cross section thereof;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the lower end of the leg and foot; and

Figs. 6-7-8 and 9 are details showing the forms progressively assumed by a length of tubing in the fabrication of the table legs of the present invention.

The table as shown is provided with four legs I0, a top il, and end and side sills l2 which underlie the top and unite the legs at their upper ends. Each of the legs is of four-lobed, starshaped formation in cross section throughout most of its length but merging at its lowerkend into a short length I3 of circular cross section terminating in a foot I4 which is closed and rounded into a flat, base I5.

The leg at its upper end terminates in a short top section I6 of uniform cross dimensions which provides for the attachment of the ends of the adjacent side and end sills, and -below the top section the leg tapers downwardly to its lower end. The leg is formed lto provide four ridges l1, each having parallel side walls I8- and a rounded outer face wall i9. The ridges radiate outwardly at angles of 90 from one another and stand in diagonal relation to the table top which is rectangular or square, and betweeneach rib is a V-shaped groove 20 dened by the ridge walls which diverge from the base of the groove at 90 angles to one another.

The bases of the grooves are at uniform level throughout the major portion of each leg, but

the leg being tapered, the depth of each groove measured by the height of the ridges, will progressively decrease until the grooves terminate in the curved walls of the foot portion. The four legs being spaced at the four corners of the table will present their diagonally opposed inner ridges toward the center of the table which also presents the inner side faces of the adjacent ridges in a plane which lies at to the sides and ends of the table top and these aligned side faces afford the contact surfaces to which the ends of the sills are attached in the manner now to be described.

Each sill is of elongated rectangular formation and is stamped from a section of thin metal plate to provide a rectangular body 2l edged by upper and lower flanges 22 and 23 struck inwardly at a 90 angle. The body of the sill is offset outwardly to provide a longitudinal rib 24, and' the ends of the ribbed body are deflected inwardly at an angle of 45 to provide obliquely disposed end faces, the ends of which merge into the ends of the iianges.

The end faces thus formed iii; snugly against the opposed side faces of the leg ridges at opposite corners of the table with the sill rib projecting outwardly to a slight degree to provide a panelled effect and to reenforce and stiien the sill. Since each sill is relatively broad as appears from Fig. 3 a firm union can be eil'ected by the provision of upper and lower bolts 25 which extend outwardly through apertures in the ridge walls of the leg and through registering apertures in the sill end, and carry nuts 26 and spring washers 21. The heads 28 of the bolts are clipped on the outer edge to lie closely within the inner corners of the ridges, and to hold the bolts against retraction the bolt heads are backed by a block 29 or the like.

The table top il may be of wood, composition or metal, but for purposes of illustration, I have shown a metal top provided with downwardly struck edge anges 30 terminating in inturned lips 3|. IIn the case of a metal top the sills i2 are spot welded at the points 32 to the under face'of the metal top and in exact position to present the oblique ends of contiguous sills in diagonally extending planate relation and spaced to afford a gap for the close entrance of the inner ridge of the intended leg.

With the table top thus formed and laid downwardly with its back face uppermost, the legs can be stood vertically in the corners and slid inwardly in position to bring the projecting bolts into register with the apertures in the sill ends so that the nuts can be screwed down tightly thusl firmly uniting the legs whose upper ends stand in butt contact with the back face of the top.

In case a wooden or composition top is used, the same procedure will be followed with the exception that screws will be entered through apertures 33 in the upper side flanges of the sills and screwed into the back face of the table top.

The method observedl in the formation of the legs is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. As shown a section of cylindrical tubing is rst tapered toward each end to provide for the formation of two legs 'which are subsequently cut apart.

The tapering operation provides a short media section of uniform cross section which ultimately becomes the upper end of a. leg to which the sills are secured. The doubly tapered length of tub-v ing is next drawn through dies or rolls to-produce the four-lobed grooving effect with the bases of f 'the grooves extending at a uniform distance from the axis of the tubing andwith the intervening straight sided ridges progressively increasing in height toward the center.

The length of tubing Imay now be cut apart through the center to provide two legs the ends of which are then upset to provide the closed feet i for the legs or the upsetting operation may be performed before the tubing is cut apart. The table top if of metal may be formed by a simple 1 stamping operation afterwhich it is only necessary to secure the sills and insert the bolts in position which prepares the table for shipment in flatwise condition and final assembly without the use of special tools or appliances.

The invention is one which enables the tables to be produced rapidly and cheaply; but the character of the connections employed serves to effectively conceal the same while the fluting of the legs not only tends to stiien the same and4 to\ provide for the attachment heretofore described,\

` but also greatly improves the appearance of the table and enhances its availability for use amid artistic surroundings.

It will be understood that by the use of the term tabla I mean to cover and include stands, y desk tops, platforms, or the like which employ tops or platforms which in general structure conform to the one here described.

Also it will be understood that the term sill is not necessarily limited to la fiat or planate connection between the legs, but that it is intended to cover and include the bowed or arcuate form of construction or other variations in form which are adapted to afford a connection of the character herein described.

I claim:

1. In a table structure or the like, the combi- 1 nation of a table top angularly extending, metallic sills with their adjacent ends converging toward the corners of the table, said sills being provided along their upper edges with inturned flanges in face contact with the under side of the table top and secured thereto with their convergent ends spaced to provide gaps, table legs having their upper ends inserted within the gaps thus afforded, each table leg being formed of tubular material provided with spaced longitudinal grooves, the groove walls on theinner sides constituting the side walls of an intervening ridge protruding inwardly toward the center of the tablel with the end edge of each sill lying in face- `wise contact with the outer side wall of the assothe upper ends of the respective legs and `with their threaded stems extending through \the groove walls and through the abutting ends of the sills, and nuts on the ends of the bolts for 5 holding the end faces of the sills in face contact 15 being deflected inwardly to provide obliquely disposed attaching faces, table legs having their upper ends inserted within the gaps thus afforded. each table leg being formed of tubular material provided with spaced longitudinal grooves, the groove inner walls constituting the side walls' of an intervening ridge protruding inwardly toward the center ofthetable with the oblique end of each of the sills lying in facewise contact with the outer side walls' of the associated groove, bolts Ahaving their heads Within the upper ends of the respective legs and with their threaded stems extending through the groove walls and through the abutting ends of the sills, and nuts on the ends of the bolts for holding the end faces of the sillsin face contact with the walls of the respective grooves.

3. In a table structure ,or the like, the combination of a table top, a group of not less than three sills disposed beneath the margins of the table top with their ends ln\convergent relation and spaced to provide gaps, the ends of the sills beingdeected inwardly to provide obliquely disposed attaching faces, table legs havingtheir upper ends inserted within the gaps thus af forded, each table leg being formed of tubular material provided with a pair of longitudinally extending spaced grooves defining an intervening ridge projecting inwardly toward the center of `the table, the ends of convergent sills at each corner presenting their attaching faces in flatwise contact with the opposed groove walls which diverge from the base of the intervening ridge, i and attaching means uniting said groove walls with the obliquely disposed end faces of the associated sills.

50 stantially 45 to provide obliquely disposed attaching faces, table legs having their upper ends inserted within said gaps, each leg being formed of tubular material tapered downwardly and pro- 05 vided with four longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced grooves, each having side walls diverging from one another at substantially a right angle and constituting each the side wall of a ridge separating the groove in questi-on from the adjoining groove, and the, legs each presenting one of its ridges diagonally inwardly toward the center of the table, the oblique attaching faces of converging sills contacting the opposed side walls of the ridges which lie laterally adeiated groove, bolts having their heads withinfiacent the intervening inwardly extending ridge.

the grooves of each leg terminating short of the lower end and the latter being configured to provide a foot, headed bolts havlngltheir heads within the upper ends of the respective legs with their threaded stems extending outwardly through the ridge walls against which the attaching faces of the sills abut and through said faces, and nuts on the ends of said bolts for holding the parts in rrn engagement.

5. In a table structure or the like the combination of a table top, four metallic sills disposed at angles of 90 to one another and underlying the margins of the table top with their converging ends spaced to provide gaps, the sills being provided along their upper edges with inturned flanges in face contact With the under side of the table top and secured thereto. the ends of the sills being deflected inwardly at an angle of substantially 45 to provide obliquely disposed attaching faces, table legs having their upper ends inserted within said gaps, each leg being formed of tubular material tapered downwardly and provided with four longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced grooves, each having side walls diverglng from one another at substantially a right angle and constituting each the side wall of a ridge separating the groove in question from the adjoining groove, and the legs each presenting one of its ridges diagonally inwardly toward the center of the table, the oblique attaching faces of converging sills contacting the opposed side walls of the ridges which lie laterally adjacent the intervening inwardly extending ridge, and the end edges of the sill flanges making butt contact with the opposed side walls of the intervening ridge, the grooves of each leg terminating short of the lower end and the latter being configured to provide a foot, headed bolts having `their heads within the upper ends of the respective legs with their threaded stems extending outwardly through the ridge walls against which the attaching faces of the sills abut and through said faces, and nuts on the ends of said bolts for holding the parts in firm engagement.

CLARENCE L. DEWEY. 

